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LDS Church-own Brigham Young University has named its buildings after male prophets, businessmen, scholars, scientists, and pioneers of every kind — they are "legacies in stone," says student Kristi Thomas Boyce.

Boyce argues in a petition that it's high time at least one honored a prominent Mormon woman.

Only two structures currently are named for women, Boyce says, but neither is a key classroom building. One houses BYU's continuing-education classes, mostly for nontraditional students, and another is used temporarily when other buildings are being renovated or built.

So Boyce launched her petition drive, asking new BYU President Kevin Worthen to consider naming the new Life Sciences Building after a woman.

She has a four in mind: Martha Hughes Cannon, Ellis Reynolds Shipp, Romania B. Pratt Penrose and Jane Manning James.

Cannon, Shipps and Penrose were among the faith's first female doctors. Cannon was also the nation's first woman state senator and a suffragist.

James was a black Mormon pioneer, who came West with the Latter-day Saints in 1847.

"Martha, Ellis, Romania and Jane are just four of many, many Mormon women whose stories are crying out from the dust," Boyce's petition concludes. "Let's honor a foremother. Let's honor a role model. Let's give the LSB a proper name."

As of Wednesday, the petition had 750 signatures.

Worthen has not received the petition, BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins said Wednesday, but encouraged the students to work through official channels such as the Student Advisory Council.

As for naming the Life Sciences Building after a woman, Jenkins said the structure is completed and the school "has no plans for naming it after anyone at this time."

A recent trend is not to name buildings after people, Jenkins said, "but we would have no objection to naming a building after a woman" in the future.

Peggy Fletcher Stack